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Satellite Images Show U.S. Mounting Patriot Missiles on Mobile Launchers at Qatar Base

Open-source analysts say the truck-mounted setup boosts U.S. air-defense mobility.

A combination of satellite images shows an increase in the number of aircraft at the Al-Udeid Air Base, near Doha, Qatar, comparing January 17, 2026 and February 1, 2026. 2026 PLANET LABS PBC/Handout via REUTERS
Satellite image shows the Shahid Bagheri, an Iranian drone carrier, off the coast of Bandar Abbas, Iran, February 1, 2026. 2026 PLANET LABS PBC/Handout via REUTERS THIS IMAGE HAS BEEN SUPPLIED BY A THIRD PARTY. MANDATORY CREDIT.
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Overview

  • Independent analysis of early-February satellite images indicates a buildup of U.S. aircraft and equipment across regional bases compared with January.
  • At Qatar’s Al-Udeid Air Base, Patriot systems were seen on M983 HEMTT trucks, alongside 18 KC-135 tankers and seven C-17s observed on February 1.
  • Further increases were documented at Jordan’s Muwaffaq, Saudi Arabia’s Prince Sultan, Diego Garcia, and Oman’s Dukhan, including strike and electronic warfare aircraft.
  • It remains unclear whether the Patriots are still truck-mounted, and the Pentagon did not provide immediate comment on the imagery.
  • President Trump signaled potential additional deployments as Iran’s Revolutionary Guards warned they could target any U.S. base if Iranian territory is struck.